I'm not going anywhere
by OctoberLumos
Summary: A new face comes into view! Is he a distraction to the relationship between Katniss and Peeta, or is he a help? You decide!


I'm not going anywhere.

I own nothing HG.

Taking place after MockingJay before the epilogue. Peet and Katniss live together in Victor's Village. Peeta owns a bakery!

*New character* Rhem (RE-EM)

Peeta leaves for work and an hour later I hear a knock at the front door. I figure it must be Haymitch because no one else ever comes by. When I open the door, a tall, strong, handsome man is standing at the door. He looks to be just a few years older than me.

"Hi! Katniss Everdeen?" He says excitedly. He holds out a hand to shake mine.

"Yes?" I say while grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"I'm Rhem Hollow! I'm from district 2! Wow, I can't believe you door is the one I ended up knocking on!" he says while smiling. His teeth are perfect and I can't take my eyes off of them.

"Ha, yeah." I say awkwardly. "What can I do for you, Rhem?"

"I just got here this morning from 2 and I was hoping that I could find a job here! I have a place I'm staying at long term, but I was going to ask where the shops are and who could use a painter!"

"A painter?" I ask this becase he has very strong arms and they definitely didn't come from painting.

"Well in district 2 I working on loading docks for hovercrafts. I used to load all kinds of things and I'd have to carry bags of mixes and cements and heavy things, but my passion is painting. If you've been to the Mayor of 12's house, you've probably seen some of my work! He's bought a few from me."

"Yeah, I used to go in there sometimes... I guess I probably have seen some of your work then... You know, Peeta, my boyfriend, he's a painter too. But he owns a bakery. He only paints when he has free time, which is never." I don't know why I'm telling him this.

"You and Peeta ended up together? Wow! I know you were pretending to be engaged, but everyone got confused, including me, I guess!" he's being charming and he knows it.

"Yeah, Peeta and I are together for real." I say awkwardly. "Well, I'm sure he could use someone like you for something at his bakery, if you're interested." I tell him while leaning against the door frame.

"Thanks! And uh... Katniss, maybe I could paint you sometime. I saw Peeta's paintings and they were amazing, but I have a different style of painting. I like to do live paintings." he is being seductive and I'm falling for it.

"I dunno... I mean, Peeta might not like that." I say while looking at my feet.

"Well, if you change your mind, just let me know. Thanks for the job help!" he says while walking off my porch and to the front gate. As he reaches the gate I yell to him,

"You can paint me if you really want to. But we'll tell Peeta after you're done with it." he walks back up the steps smiling at me.

"Awesome! When can we start?"

"Tomorrow morning? But where?"

"Here. I want to paint you by a window and your house has big beautiful ones. I'll bring my paints and things over at 10 am tomorrow." he reaches out to shake my hand again and then leaves.

The day goes by quickly and when Peeta comes home, I tell him nothing of how Rhem and I met or how he's going to paint a picture of me in our house tomorrow. Peeta and I eat dinner and take showers and talk about his day at work until we get to bed. He's very tired because he works all day so I massage his back and then kiss his neck. He's too tired to do too much so I take my hand and fool around with him before we go to sleep. I don't usually do this when he's tired, but the back of my mind feels guilty for not telling him about Rhem.

The next morning Peeta kisses me and leaves. An hour later Rhem is at the door with a big box of paints and brushes and a big canvas. I notice his muscles flexed as he carries the heavy box. I lead him to my room and he sets his things down. He tells me he wants me in a cream colored sheet sitting in the window. At first I hesitate, but then I say ok. I take the sheet into the bathroom and I undress, wrap myself in the sheet and return. He positions me and then paints for about 4 hours and we talk and laugh and flirt.

This becomes routine. Peeta comes home, I feel guilty, so I pleasure him and ask for nothing in return and then I strip down to a sheet and allow a stranger to sit in mine and Peeta's bedroom and paint a picture of me.

When Peeta gets home after a week of my secret meetings with Rhem he asks me,

"Katniss... You haven't gone hunting in a really long time. What do you do during the day?"

"I uh.. You know, I walk around town and visit with people on the street. I just haven't really felt like hunting in a while." I hope it doesn't sound like I'm lying.

"Oh. Hey, you know the new guy, Rhem?" he asks and my heart begins to thump loudly with fear.

"Uhm, yeah! What- what about him?" I sound a little too interested, but Peeta doesn't notice.

"He told me he's a painter too! He wants me to see his work. He brought a few of his pieces from district 2 and I told him I'd like to see them, but I wanted you to come too." he puts his hand on top of my hand. "How does that sound?"

"Great!" I lie. I feel like the worst girlfriend in the world. Tonight, we'll have kinky sex.

CHAPTER 2

Peeta and I never went to see Rhem's paintings because I cleverly avoided it by coming up with ridiculous excuses that Peeta thought were cute.

Rhem had been coming to my house to paint me for over two weeks now. I don't know why I was so keen on keeping it a secret from Peeta because I tell Peeta everything.

As I undressed and wrapped myself in the cream sheets I avoided the mirror. I didn't want to look at my reflection knowing that I was hiding something from the love of my life. I sat at the window and looked at Rhem. He was standing next to me positioning my legs the right way. The side of my sheet fell off my shoulder, exposing my right breast. As I moved my hand to pull it up quickly, Rhem had his hand there first. His had was not on the sheet, but on my skin. His eyes on mine, hungry... I sat with my expression slightly shocked. He then sat down slowly next to me, holding my breast and kissing my neck. I let out a loud sigh of pleasure and his kisses went further. My eyes closed slowly. Soon the sheet had fallen to my hips and I was leaning my bare back against the window while he kissed my upper body. I moaned with pleasure while His hand reached for the sheet to expose the rest of me and my eyes flew open.

"Rhem!" I shouted which clearly startled him.

"What?" he shouted back, looking around the room as if we'd been caught.

"No. No no no no no. This can't be happening. This can't happen!" I shout while pushing him off and pulling the sheet to cover my body. "No more paint sessions, Rhem. Sorry. I'm telling Peeta everything as soon as he gets home. I don't care that he'll be mad at me, but I am NOT living with this guilt." I say while pulling my clothes on frantically.

"You can't tell Peeta! I'll lose my job at the bakery! That's all I have right now, Kat!" he pleads.

"Oh, no! I'm telling Peeta. This is not ok, Rhem. I love Peeta!" I say while flopping onto my bed holding back tears.

Rhem sits down next to me and pulls a long strand of my hair away from my face, tucking it gently behind my ear. Our eyes meet again. His, sure of what he wants, mine scared of what I've done to myself. He kisses me gently on my lips and I don't pull away.

"Tell him about the painting, not about this." and he kisses me again, slipping in his tongue. I don't know why, but I kiss him back even harder than he's kissing me. My hand on his chest and his hands on my hips. I pull away slowly, look him stern in the face and say,

"This will never happen again. And we're done with the painting. We are going to burn it right now."

"What if I just keep it very well hidden?" he asks while leaning close to my face again.

"We burn it. Now." I say while pushing him away from me and getting up.

"Katniss, please." he said while catching my hand. I want to give in because he's so tempting, but the thought of Peeta conquers my current lust of Rhem.

"Absolutely not, Rhem!" I look at him in the eyes and hold his shoulders and say, "Peeta is the only thing left in my life that's worth anything to me. This painting thing was a mistake. This thing you and I are doing in an even bigger mistake and it's got to stop right now. I'm burning this and I don't want you coming over anymore... And I'm telling Peeta." I let go, pick up the painting and carry it down stairs. Rhem joins me in my back yard be the fire after he packs up his paints.

"Do you think he'll try to kill me? Or just fire me and banish me from here." He asks while looking into the fire. I don't know why, but I still like Rhem. I wouldn't mind having him just as a friend, but I'm afraid that after I tell Peeta, I'll never see one of them again.

Peeta gets home just as I'm setting dinner on the table. He doesn't seem too tired when he comes in and kisses me. When we sit down I watch him while he eats.

"Whats up?" he asks between bites.

"I need to tell you something... But I'm afraid to." He puts his fork down and wipes his mouth.

"You're afraid? What is it, Kat?" his eyebrows creased in confusion.

"I've been so stupid, Peeta!" I break down into tears. "I met Rhem before you did! I sent him to the bakery for a job!" I say though heaving breaths.

"Well, thank you! I'm not upset! He's a great worker! He's been an amazing help!" Peeta says while quickly coming to my chair to comfort me.

"But he's been coming over here too!" My cries are getting louder.

"He-What?" Peeta's head tilting like a confused puppy.

"He's been coming over when he doesn't work for you! He come to our room and he-" Peeta cuts me off by jumping up so fast his chair flips over and slams on the ground. Peeta never used to get angry, but since the Capitol got to him, he has his angry glitches.

"Why has he been in our room with you, Katniss?" his hands in his hair and his breathing heavy though his nostrils like an angry animal.

"He's been painting me! But not naked! Just painting me!" Peetas expression loosening slowly.

"Wha-what?"

"Just painting me. I was wearing a sheet, but I was covered, but Peeta something happened! I'm stupid, and I'm so sorry! Please just hear me out!" I sound like a child from the way I'm crying. I explain exactly what happened and he keeps his back to me. I've hurt him deeply.

"Do you love him." he doesn't really ask this, he sort of just says it.

"God, no! It was just a kiss! A stupid kiss. Nothing else happened. My upper half and nothing else, I swear, Peeta. Just... please." I walk over to him, placing my hands gently on his back and resting my head between his shoulders. "It wont ever happen again, I swear." I reach my arms around to hug him from behind.

"He's kind of like a gentler gale." Peeta says, still facing away from me. I pull my arms back and turn him to face me.

"What?"

"Rhem.. He's like Gale, only gentler." he's hurt and it's my fault.

"I... I guess. I never really thought of that." I say.

"That's why you let him kiss you and touch you." he says while looking at his feet. I reach my hand to his face and he looks into my eyes.

"Peeta, you are the only man I'll ever want to kiss and touch me. Rhem was nothing. Don't fire him, please. But trust me when I tell you that nothing will ever happen between he and I ever again." I pull him into a kiss and I didn't expect him to, but he kissed me back.

He forgives me for what I've done and agrees to keep Rhem around, but he has to have a few words with him first. I go to the bakery with him the next morning to set things straight with Rhem. I feel as though all of this is my fault. I shouldn't have let Rhem paint me in the first place.

We get to the bakery and Rhem is already there pouring the flour into a huge silver mixing bowl. Peeta tells him to come up front for a talk before they open up. When Rhem sees me sitting at the table they are walking towards, he instantly has the look of guilt in his eyes. He looks at my expression for some help, but I turn my head to face the window.

"Katniss and I need to talk to you about what's been happening, Rhem." Peeta says firmly as they sit down. Peeta doesn't look or sound angry, instead he looks and sounds like a father whose caught his children in wrong doings.

"I wont allow you in my house while I'm not there, and I certainly won't allow you to touch her as long as she's with me." Peeta's eye contact with Rhem is powerful. He doesn't seem to be blinking.

"Now, she told me that she allowed you to put your hands on her and kiss her but that wont be happening again. She is mine, Rhem." his hand on my hand. The way he said "She is mine" makes my insides flutter at the sense of security he brings to me.

"Katniss said that nothing else happened, is this true or do you have something to add?" Peeta tightens his grip on my hand while he waits for Rhem to respond.

"No. Nothing else happened. And Peeta, it's my fault. Katniss wasn't leading me on or anything. I understand if you want to fire me." Rhem replies.

"I don't want to fire you, but I want you to know that I'm dead serious. If this happens again, I'll have to fire you, and Katniss," he turns and looks at me with a serious but sad expression.

"I trust you, but if anything else happens, I'm moving out. Even the smallest thing, Kat. I'm not kidding around. You hurt me and now my trust in you isn't as strong." I quickly wipe the tear that's forming in my eye and say,

"It won't happen again, Peeta. I swear it." and I kiss him hard on his lips. I leave them both to work and walk home. I put on my hunting gear and go out for some game.

I'm gone until the sun starts to go down and on my way back I run into Rhem.

"Katniss! Look, I just wanted to say how sorry I am. I could have ruined everything for you and that was never my intention. I just... I dunno, I got caught up in the painting I think."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"When I paint I have a vision, or like a story in my head and.. Well, maybe when you have some time and Peeta is around, I can tell you the story." he says and takes a few steps away from me.

"No! It's ok. You can tell me now if it's not very long." I reply.

"Ok! well," we sit down on a bench and he starts telling me the story...

"So there's this girl that I see all the time in my dreams. It's summer and it's really hot outside. Her hair is long and dark and every afternoon she goes for a swim in this river behind the town that no one knows is there. When she gets there, she takes her clothes off and swims naked in the cold water. She there by herself and she stays for hours, swimming and then laying in the sun until she's dry enough to put her clothes back on. Then she goes home and takes a shower and wraps herself in her sheets and sits in her window looking down at the woods. She sits there for hours and hours, not moving, not talking. Just looking into the woods."

"What is she looking at?" I ask.

"She's not looking at anything.. She's looking for someone." he says with a smile. "She lost her lover one day in the woods. He woke up one morning next to her in their bed, he took a shower, got back in the bed with her for a few more minutes and then he left to go hunting. Every time he'd leave, she'd sit at the window and wave goodbye to him as he walked away to hunt. She'd sit back at the window when he'd come home and wave at him before going downstairs to greet him. But one day he was killed in an accident. Something went badly wrong during his hunt and he was killed. She waited at her window all night and he never came. So she'd shower and wear the sheets and then sit in the window, just waiting for him to come home."

"She must have figured that he was dead, or that he'd left her, if he never came back!" I said.

"She knew he was dead, but her heart didn't want to believe it.. So I painted you, because you look like the girl from my dreams." Rhem said while pushing my hair behind my ear. I got goosebumps when his skin touched mine. I quickly stand up and step away from him.

"You are a perfect mixture of poetic Peeta and tough Gale, and it's hard for me to be around you. I don't question my love for Peeta one bit, but when you're alone with me... I'm all confused." I say feeling stupid.

"When I'm with you, Katniss... I lust for you. I know you love Peeta, which is why I don't have loving feelings towards you, but I lust for you." he says stepping closer to me. "One more hidden kiss?" he asks quietly. I hate myself for letting it happen, but I kiss him back. Our tongues tangling, our hands exploring each other's bodies, and my mind racing with good and bad thoughts. We separate quickly and I leave him without a word.

When I get home I shower and brush my teeth. Peeta is painting in his art room and I go in to see him.

"Peeta?" my voice is shaky. "I saw Rhem on my way home tonight."

"He lusts for you, Katniss." Peeta says while painting.

"I know he does. He told me, and I-" Peeta cuts me off,

"I told him to break it off tonight. I told him to kiss you one last time." He says and turns to face me.

"You... You did?" I'm very surprised by this.

"He's leaving for a new District or town now. I told him to be on his way, and if you were in love with him... You'd follow him." He stops looking at me and goes back to painting.

"Peeta, I'm never going to leave you. Especially not for anyone else." I turn him to face me. "I'm not going anywhere." He pulls me into a kiss and I hold tightly around his neck. I pull apart only to see what he's painting. A very large canvas has two hands intertwined with each other. I smile at him and take his hand. He leads us to our bedroom and we make love. We are made for each other inside and out and I knew it all along.. Maybe I just needed a little reminder.

The next morning after Peeta left for work, I stood at my bedroom window where Rhem had painted me.. I looked out the window and in that moment I realized that Rhem had seen me as the girl in the window, not for our similar looks, but for our similar actions. The girl in the window waited for the man she loved, hour after hour, longing for him to come back to her, as I waited for Peeta all day for him to come back to me. Rhem only wanted to be the man I waited for... That's why he wanted the job at the bakery.

The end.

So what do you think? Do you think Katniss was right to have small feelings for Rhem? I mean, she was just longing for the attention that she wasn't getting while Peeta was at work, right? Was Peeta right to let her choose lust over love? Did Katniss just need a reminder of why she loves Peeta? What's your theory? Let me know! Review! Thanks so much for reading!


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